[Top 10] Diablo 3 Best Legendary Gems

Diablo 3 Legendary Gems
"I'm a simple man. Give me a good meal, a warm bed, and a handful of jewels." —Covetous Shen


Which Legendary Gems Should I Use?

In Diablo 3, there is a class of gems that will truly set your builds apart from the rest.  These are the Legendary Gems, and they typically can be socketed into Rings and Amulets to augment the awesome-ness of your build even further.  But which Gems should you seek and level up? Well, that depends on several things, including Play-style, Solo vs. Group Play, Class, and build.  In this article, I will be showing you which 10 Gems are essential to have in your inventory and highly leveled right now. 

10. Bane of the Powerful

"Few things embolden the spirit like a powerful enemy lying dead at your feet." -Andomiel Chu, Master Gem Cutter of Xiansai.

Bane of the Powerful is an asset when Farming, in the situation that you are not using Bane of the Stricken for a Damage dealing buff.  This gem increases damage as a whole after killing an Elite pack,  At Gem level 25, your damage to and from Elites is respectively increased and decreased.  For Maximum farming, I recommend pairing Bane of the Powerful with Nemesis Bracers.  This combination will spawn an Elite pack at every Pylon.  Killing these Elites contributes to the Rift Progress and also activates the Gems Damage buff.

    -20% Increased Damage after Killing an Elite pack.

    -At Gem level 25, 15% Increased Damage to Elites

    -At Gem level 25, 15% Decreased Damage from Elites

9. Gem of Efficacious Toxin

The poison mixers of Xiansai tell of a sickly gem cutter named Zhong Yi Rou who would come by their vats and scream "I'll put you all out of work someday! Yes I will!"

Gem of Efficacious Toxin is primarily a Group play, Support, option for Zero DPS builds.  This gem is an asset when playing a class and build that attacks, controls, or otherwise affects large groups of enemies.  The Poison aspect of this gem is not the key so much as the effect it has on the enemies that you poison.

    -Poison all enemies hit for a certain amount of damage over 10 seconds.

    -All Poisoned enemies take 10% more damage.

    -All Poisoned enemies deal 10% less damage.

8. Gogok of Swiftness

"You do not need to be stronger than your enemy, if you are faster of mind and body." -Queen Seondeok

This gem is yet another that is more useful in group play with a Zero DPS build.  Gogok of Swiftness’s base stat adds swiftness every time you attack, granting 1% additional attack speed and a chance to dodge.  While this, in and of itself, is nothing to boast about, the real kicker is that it is stackable up to 15 times.  Even more so, at gem level 25, a 1% cooldown reduction is granted, per stack.  This perk allows support builds that rely heavily on casting healing or buffing moves with large cooldowns to use them more frequently.  

    -1% attack speed increase per attack (stackable to 15)

    -Dodge chance increase per attack (stackable 15 times)

    -level 25 grants stackable cooldown reduction up to 15%

7. Pain Enhancer

Xiangyi, most beautiful of Xiansai master gem cutters, crafted this gem in honor of a former lover. The angrier she got, the faster she worked, and the gem was ready in no time. Only after she had tested its efficacy was she finally satisfied.

The final (kind of) Support gem on the list is the Pain Enhancer.   The support style of players utilizing this gem, however, is not for buffing the group but clearing the “trash” or low-level minions on the map at a given time.  This gem is ideal for a build with a high Critical Hit chance and Area of Effect attacks.  Critically hit enemies bleed for physical damage over 3 seconds.  When used on large groups and paired with the gem’s other effects, you can effectively clear hordes of low-level enemies in a heartbeat.

    -Critical Hits cause Bleeding.

    -Bleeding enemies take a specific percent weapon damage (based on level) over 3 seconds.

    -Gem level 25 grants Blood Frenzy, which boosts attack speed 2% for every bleeding enemy within 20 yards.
6. Enforcer

This stone shares its powerful heart with those who serve the bearer.

“The Pet Gem” is useful for classes like Necromancer and Witch Doctor, which summon pets to deal most of their damage.  The perks of this gem include granting increased damage to pets as well as reducing their damage greatly.  

    -Increases damage dealt by pets at a base of 15%.

    -Gem level 25 grants 90% reduced damage to pets.

    -Pets that are targetted, rather than exist for a duration of time, are much harder to kill.  

    -Pets that have abilities that mirror your stats are extremely powerful.

5. Gem of Ease

This stone twinkles with low level light, inviting its bearer to dream of higher ambitions.

A lot of you will either argue that this gem deserves to be higher or lower on the list.  This opinion all depends on how you play.  If you are like me and always make new classes and frequently play with seasonal characters, you will consider this one of the most valuable gems in your arsenal. Necessary for adding experience per kill to speed up the level 1-70 grind on a new character, this gem also boasts a hefty level reduction for the weapon to which it is attached.  Yes.  Weapon. Not Jewelry.  This perk allows you to use your favorite high-level weapon right off the bat.  For added experience points, I advise including a Leoric’s Crown as soon as possible. 

    -Base Experience boost of 500xp per kill.

    -Socketed to weapon instead of Jewelry.

    -Gem level 25 grants a required level reduction to 1.

4. Taeguk

"Given enough resources, one is possessed of an absolute and infinite potentiality." -High Priest Baek

Many builds that rely heavily on channeling (looking at you, Whirlwind Barb!) will use this gem to boost damage and armor.  This gem grants stackable damage and armor boost as long as you are channeling.  Once you stop channeling, the boost resets.  

    -Gain increased damage when you use a channeling skill.

    -Gem level 25 grants a 2% armor boost.

    -Both are stackable up to 10 times.

3. Zei’s Stone of Vengeance

Legend says this gem was crafted by Zei to torment fleeing enemies. Other legends claim that Zei never existed.

Zei’s Stone of Vengeance is one I value as a solid “beginner gem” but is also useful to higher level players as well.  This gem rewards ranged play and is typically associated with Wave of Light Monk builds as well as some Wizard and Demon Hunter setups.  Also, this gem pairs well with Bane of the Trapped as it will activate its effects.

    -Damage increased per 10 yards up to 20% at 50 yards away from an enemy.

    -Gem level 25 adds a 25% chance to stun an enemy on hit.

    -Stunned enemies will activate Bane of the Trapped if equipped.

2. Bane of the Stricken

After the defeat of Malthael, Diadra the Scholar wandered the world. She studied the gem cutters of Xiansai, and brought their secrets back to Westmarch. Bane of the Stricken is the first gem to come out of her Westmarch workshop.

This gem is the ultimate buff for taking down bosses and Rift Guardians.  With an infinitely multiplicative damage boost to a single enemy,  You can dish out MASSIVE amounts of damage to Rift Guardians in Solo or Group Play.  In every group, the RGK (Rift Guardian Killer) should have this equipped.  End of story.

    -Each attack on an enemy increases the damage that the enemy takes from you by a certain percent.

    -This increase in damage stacks infinitely

    -Gem level 25 grants 25% damage to bosses and Rift Guardians

1. Bane of the Trapped

Lady Tu de Qing commissioned this gem from the workshops of Xiansai, saying "I prefer my targets asleep or drunk. Barring that, I'll take sluggish."

This gem is essential for all builds. Period.  Bane of the Trapped grants a huge damage boost to everyone and is a must-have on nearly all high end builds.  This benefit is because, besides being activated by crowd control skills, at gem level 25, it can also activate itself.

    -Increase damage to enemies affected by controlling skills by 15%

    -Gem level 25 grants an aura that slows nearby enemies by 30%

    -Enemies nearby are both slowed considerably and more vulnerable.

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